Lighthouses of Canada: Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia is the province at the extreme southeastern
corner of Canada. The southern and eastern parts of the province lie
on a peninsula facing the Atlantic to the east and the Bay of Fundy to
the west. Cape
Breton Island lies to the northeast, separated from the main part of the province by
the narrow Strait
of Canso. The island faces Northumberland Strait on
the southwest, the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the northwest, Cabot Strait
to the north, the open Atlantic Ocean to the east, and Chedabucto Bay
to the south.

Cape Breton Island is nearly divided
north to south by the intricate waterways of the Bras
d'Or Lake, which
is actually a small, brackish inland sea. At the south, the St. Peters Canal joins Bras d'Or Lake to the Atlantic.

The island has a distinctive history: it was a French colony until 1763
and it was a British colony, separate from Nova Scotia, from 1784 to
1820.

Some of the more remote lighthouses of the island are poorly known and
no photos are available. Additional information and photos would be welcome.

Aids to navigation in Canada are maintained by the Canadian Coast Guard. In 2008, Parliament passed the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act to designate and protect historic lighthouses. In 2010, the Coast Guard declared the great majority of lighthouses to be surplus, and there is fear that this may lead to the disposal and possible destruction of many lighthouses.

1903 (relocated here in 1977). Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft);
green flash every 4 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) square wood tower, painted white. Lantern
removed. Google has a satellite
view. Anderson's photo shows a black horizontal band on the tower, but at least since 2013 the Coast Guard light list has described it as all white. The lighthouse was originally the front light of the Clarke
Cove Range. Cameron is a small island in West Bay, the southwestern corner
of Bras d'Or Lake. Located at the northeast end of the island. Accessible
only by boat. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast
Guard. ARLHS CAN-069; CCG 838; Admiralty H0832; NGA 9057.

1902 (Joseph MacDonald). Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); white flash
every 4 s. 16 m (53 ft) octagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery.
The eight vertical faces are painted alternately red and white; the lantern
is painted red. The original 1-1/2 story wood keeper's house, recently restored,
is used as a private summer residence. NSLPS has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a satellite
view. In 2015 the preservation society won $20,000 in the National Trust Lighthouse Matters competition. Located on the west side of the island facing St. George's Bay.
Site and tower generally closed (the island is privately owned), but tours
to the island and lighthouse can be arranged.Accessible
only by boat. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Henry Island
Lighthouse Preservation Society. ARLHS CAN-227; CCG 881; Admiralty
H1222; NGA 8720.

1908 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft);
continuous green light. 14 m (47 ft) square pyramidal wood tower
with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Jarvis's photo is at right, Bash has a photo, Illsley has an excellent photo, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Google has a satellite
view and a distant street view. Originally built as the rear light of a range;
the front light was discontinued in 1987. Since 1998 the lighthouse
serves as the Mabou Harbour Museum and Tourist Centre. The Coast
Guard proposed to extinguish the light in 2001, but apparently they
were dissuaded. Located on the waterfront at Mabou Harbour. Site
and tower open. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Mabou Harbour Authority. ARLHS CAN-291;
CCG 876; Admiralty H1216.1; NGA 8748.

1900. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); continuous yellow light.
4.5 m (15 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted
white with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Illsley has a closeup photo, Anderson has
a photo,
Bash has a 2008 photo,
Jarvis has a photo of both range lights, Stuart Applegath has a photo,
Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a fuzzy satellite
view. The Margaree Harbour Heritage Lighthouses Group works for the preservation of the two range lighthouses. Located off
Margaree Harbour Shore Road. Site status uncertain, but the lighthouses
can be seen from nearby. Tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian
Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-607; CCG 872; Admiralty H1202; NGA 8764.

1900. Active; focal plane 21 m (68 ft); continuous yellow light.
6 m (20 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern, painted white
with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Anderson has a photo,
Bash has a 2008 photo,
Jarvis has a photo of both range lights, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a satellite
view. The Margaree Harbour Heritage Lighthouses Group works for the preservation of the two range lighthouses. Located off Margaree Harbour Shore Road. Site status uncertain,
but the lighthouses can be seen from nearby. Tower closed. Owner/site manager:
Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-304; CCG 873; Admiralty H1202.1;
NGA 8768.

1957 (station established 1937). Active; focal plane 22.5 m (74 ft);
three white flashes, separated by 4 s, every 24 s. 13 m (42 ft) octagonal
concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern painted
red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). 1-1/2 story keeper's house and
several utility buildings. Jarvis's photo is at right, Bash has a photo is at right, Illsley has a good photo,
Ron Pettitt has a good photo,
Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Google has a satellite
view. The original lighthouse was destroyed by fire in October
1956. Note: There is also a Cape Enragé lighthouse in southern
New Brunswick. Located on the northwest point of Chéticamp
Island, which is connected to the mainland south of Chéticamp
by a narrow bar. Accessible by a short hike across the island. Site
open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-170;
CCG 867; Admiralty H1188; NGA 8800.

1894 (station established 1890). Inactive since 1986. 7 m (23 ft)
square pyramidal wood tower with lantern. The lighthouse was originally painted
white with red trim, and the lantern was painted red.
P. Kramer has a 2003 photo showing
this pattern. In 2005 the lighthouse was repainted in with red, white,
and blue horizontal bands, as seen in Illsley's photo and a photo by
Mark Luukkonen. Bash's 2008 photo shows
another repainting, white with a blue lantern and a red lantern roof.
Google's August 2012 street view shows the red, white and blue pattern again. Google also has a satellite
view. The lighthouse was relocated in 1914 and again in 1950 due
to changes in the channel alignment. The lighthouse is leased to Acadian
Whale Cruise as its office. Located just off the waterfront in the
center of Chéticamp. Site and tower open. Site manager: Acadian
Whale Cruise. ARLHS CAN-135.

1897. Reactivated (inactive 1976-1990); focal plane 31 m (103 ft);
continuous red light. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted
white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; the lantern roof
is also red. Bash has a 2008 photo,
Marinas.com has aerial
photos misidentified as "Chéticamp Harbour Light," and Google has a 2012 street view and a satellite view. Jarvis's fine 2011 photo shows the lighthouse freshly repainted. In 1976, both the front range light and the rear light were moved to skeletal towers, and apparently the front range lighthouse was demolished. The rear light was returned to the historic tower in 1990. Located on the north side of Chéticamp; visible
from the Cabot Trail (highway 19). Site and tower closed (private property). Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: private. ARLHS
CAN-123; CCG 863; Admiralty H1182.1; NGA 8808.

Note: St. Paul Island is in Cabot Strait about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Cape North and about 70 km (45 mi)
southwest of Cape Race, Newfoundland. It is not inhabited, and landing
requires special permission from the Coast Guard.

1964 (station established 1831). Active; focal plane 46 m (150 ft);
white flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) cylindrical steel tower, painted
white with a single red band at the top; no lantern. The 2-story wood hip-roofed keeper's house (1912) has collapsed, as seen in Christian Cabre's 2009 photo. Wikimedia has a page with a photo, Jean-Nicolas Rinfret has an aerial
photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite
view. The original wood lighthouse
at this station burned in 1916. It was replaced by a cylindrical steel
lighthouse, which was relocated first to the Coast Guard station in
Dartmouth and more recently to Dingwall (see below).
Lighthouse Digest has Duane Traver's excellent article
on the history of
the island and light station. Located at the southwestern tip of the island. Owner/site manager:
Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS STP-001; CCG 1477; Admiralty H0876; NGA 8852.

1962 (station established 1839). Active; focal plane 38.5 m (126
ft); white light, 2 s on, 10 s off. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal concrete
tower, painted white; lantern is red. Jean-Nicolas Rinfret has an aerial
photo, Anderson has the same or a very similar photo, Lighthouse Digest has an excellent article
on the history of the island and light station, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This historic light station
guards the southern entrance to the Gulf of St. Lawrence from the
Atlantic. Located on a rocky
islet just off the northeastern end of the island. Site and tower
closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS STP-002; CCG 1476;
Admiralty H0878; NGA 8856.

2010 (station established 1876). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); white
light, 2 s on, 6 s off. 14.5 m (48 ft) square skeletal tower; the tower carries a slatted daymark colored with red and white horizontal bands. Fog horn (6 s blast every 60 s). A 2014 photo sphere is available, and Bing has a satellite view of the station. This light replaced the 1980 lighthouse, a square pyramidal tower attached to
a 1-story service building. There's a view of the former light from the sea, and Marinas.com has good aerial
photos. Anderson has a photo of the former lighthouse toppled during the replacement. The second lighthouse here (1907-1980) was the 1856 cast iron tower
from Cape Race, Newfoundland;
this lighthouse was relocated a second time in 1980 and is now on display
at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa, Ontario. This
light marks the northern extremity of Cape Breton Island, but it is actually
located on Money Point, 1.6 km (1 mi) south southeast of the point of the
cape. The light station is
accessible by 4WD from the Cabot Trail spur at Bay St. Lawrence, but the
last few miles require hiking down a steep and rough trail. Site and tower
closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-103; CCG 854;
Admiralty H0872; NGA 8848.

1916. Inactive since 1964. 9 m (30 ft) cylindrical steel tower,
painted white, with a lantern painted red. The abandoned tower was
relocated in 1981 to the dockside parking lot of the Coast Guard station
in Dartmouth. The original lantern had deteriorated beyond the possibility
of salvage, so a replica was built to house the original 4th order
Fresnel lens. The St. Paul Island Historical Society asked to move this
lighthouse to a museum at Dingwall, the Cape Breton Island town closest to St. Paul Island. In October 2010, officials announced agreement on making the move. The lighthouse was disassembled and transported by flatbed truck to Dingwall, where it was reassembled in the summer of 2011. Jarvis's photo is at right, and Bing has a satellite view. Located adjacent to the St. Paul Island Museum, on the south side of Dingwall Harbour in Dingwall, about 20 km (13 mi) south of Cape North.
Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: St. Paul Island Historical Society .

St. Paul Island South Point Light, Dingwall, September 2011
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Dennis Jarvis

1899. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); continuous white light.
13 m (43 ft) square pyramidal wood tower, painted white; lantern is
red. A photo is at right, Illsley has a photo, Bash has a 2008 photo,
Anderson has a photo,
Wikimedia has a 2010 photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located
at the end of Lighthouse Road in Neil's Harbour. Since 1998 the local
fire department has operated an ice
cream shop in the lighthouse during the summer months. Gord Handley
has a photo of
the lighthouse being painted in September 2006. The Neil’s Harbour New Haven Development Association is working for the preservation of this lighthouse. In 2015 the association won $10,000 in the National Trust Lighthouse Matters competition. Site open, tower
closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Neil's Harbour
Fire Department. ARLHS CAN-339; CCG 851; Admiralty H0866; NGA
8880.

1954 (station established 1871). Inactive since 1987. Square 1-story wood building; the lantern, formerly centered on the roof, has been removed. 1-1/2 story keeper's house in very poor condition. An NSLPS newsletter has an article on the station (pages 10-12), including photos of the original and current lighthouses. A view from the sea is available, and Google has a satellite view showing the keeper's house; the lighthouse building is 20 m to the north. Gravely endangered. Located on an island 800 m (1/2 mi) off Ingonish. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Parks Canada (Cape Breton Highlands National Park). ARLHS CAN-1221.

Date unknown (station established 1912). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); whote light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 5 m (17 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower carrying a daymark colored red with a broad white horizontal band. Bash has a photo, and Bing has a satellite view. The original Ingonish Harbour light station was on the south side of the entrance, but the modern light is on the north side. It was replaced in 1956 with a skeletal tower having an enclosed lower section; in 1983 the skeletal tower was overturned and destroyed by a storm surge. The original light on the north side of the entrance was described as a mast with a shed at the base. South Ingonish Harbour is entered through a narrow break in a barrier beach. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG 847; Admiralty H0858.

1906. Inactive since the early 1960s. 9.5 m (32 ft) square pyramidal
wood tower, painted white with red trim. The lantern has been replaced
with a square wood room having ordinary windows. Anderson has a photo, but Google has only a very distant satellite view of the point. This lighthouse had
been available for summer rental by the week, but in 2008 its web page
was withdrawn. We need more information on its status; presumably it is in use only as a private residence. Located on a promontory
on the west side of St. Ann's Bay. Site and
tower status unknown. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-1307.

1959 (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 13.5 m (44
ft); green light, 2 s on, 10 s off. 14.5 m (47 ft) square pyramidal
wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white with red trim;
lantern is red. Sarbjit Mander's photo is at right, Bash has a 2008 photo,
Anderson has photos,
there's another good 2008 photo,
Peter Graham has a view
from the lake, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Huelse has a historic postcard
view, and Google has a street view and a distant satellite
view. Ownership of the lighthouse was transferred to the town of Baddeck in 2005. In 2013, the town began a restoration of the lighthouse, and work was continuing in 2014. Located
on the eastern end of the island at the entrance to Baddeck Harbour,
St. Patrick's Channel. Accessible only by boat, but visible from
the Baddeck waterfront. Boat
tours are available. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager:
Village of Baddeck. ARLHS CAN-261; CCG 815; Admiralty H0800;
NGA 8996.

1980 (station established 1881). Inactive since 2010 and removed in 2012. 10 m (33 ft) fiberglass tower, painted white with two horizontal
red bands. Anderson has a view from the water, and Google has a satellite view. In May 2013 Anderson found the tower lying on the ground, and shortly thereafter the tower was removed. Little Narrows is a strait connecting the St. Patrick Channel to Whycocomagh Bay. Located on the east side of the strait about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of the Little Narrows ferry. Site status unknown. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-280; ex-Admiralty H0804; NGA 9036.

1925 (station established 1912). Inactive. Approx. 7.5 m (25 ft) square
pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern removed 1971. As
of 2001, the lighthouse was reported to be partially dismantled and in two
pieces. It was relocated, and Bash's 2008 photo shows the lighthouse in good condition. Anderson has photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view of the tower. Located in a forest off Man of War Point Road, about 400 m (1/4 mi) south of the point; Anderson found the lighthouse to be on private property next to an art gallery. The 26 hectare (65 acre) property including the lighthouse and art gallery was for sale for $895,000 in 2012. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen from the road. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-301.

1909 (station established 1884). Inactive since 1961. 10 m (33 ft)
square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white
with red trim; lantern roof is red. Bash has a 2008 photo,
a 2009 photo is
available, NSLPS has an older photo,
Anderson has photos,
Illsley has a distant view, Huelse has a postcard
view, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Google has a distant street view and a distant satellite
view. This lighthouse
was deactivated when the Seal
Island Bridge (NS 105) was built across
Great Bras d'Or Lake. Michel Forand visited the lighthouse in September
2005 and found it to be in very poor condition. Shortly thereafter,
however, the lighthouse was beautifully restored by the Boularderie
Island Historical Society. Located a few hundred meters southwest of
the east end of the bridge; accessible by a hiking path. Site open,
tower closed. Owner: Acadia University. Site manager: Boularderie
Island Historical Society. ARLHS CAN-295.

1903. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); continuous green light. 9.5
m (32 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted
white with a red vertical stripe on the range line. Anderson has photos, Jarvis has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Google has a satellite
view. Located at Noire Point at the end of Browns Lane, off Old Route Five in Great
Bras d'Or. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager:
Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-209; CCG 803; Admiralty H0782; NGA
8932.

1937 (station established 1868). Inactive since 1978. 10.5 m (34 ft) square
lantern centered on the roof of a 2-story wood keeper's house. Building painted
white with red vertical stripes and red trim; lantern roof is red. Bing has a satellite view. The lighthouse
was sold in 1979 and relocated as a private residence. Located on the north side of Penny Road, off Black Rock Road about 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of the present lighthouse. Site and tower closed,
but the lighthouse can be viewed from the road. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS
CAN-1289.

1989 (station established 1874). Destroyed in 2014. This was an 11.5 m (38 ft) fiberglass tower with flared top, octagonal
lantern and gallery. Tower painted white; lantern is red. 1-story wood keeper's
house. Fog horn (6 s blast every 60 s). A 2007 photo is available, Anderson has a photo, Jarvis has a photo, Howie Hennigar has a closeup,
Bash has a distant view, aerial photos from
Marinas.com show the spectacular nature of the site, and Bing has a distant satellite view. In September 2011, thieves broke into the station to steal copper wiring, putting the light temporarily out of service; Jarvis has a photo with an account of this incident. In 2012, the Bras d'Or and Area Historical Society was working on plans to restore the station as a tourist attraction. However, the lighthouse burned to the ground in a fire of suspicious origin in late February 2014. Before the fire the light had been moved to a square skeletal tower (next entry). Located off NS 105, on the point, east of the
Great Bras d'Or entrance. Site open. Owner/site manager: Canadian
Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-386.

1905. Demolished sometime in 2008-09.
This was a 12 m (40 ft) octagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted
white with red upper portion and a vertical red stripe on the range line.
Bash has a photo taken in July 2008, and Marinas.com has aerial photos. Sometime in 2008-09 this lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower (next entry). ARLHS
CAN-641.

2009(?). Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); yellow light, 2 s on, 2 s off,
visible only on the range line. 9.5 m (31 ft) square skeletal mast carrying a large trapezoidal slatted daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Anderson has a photo of the new light, and Google has a satellite
view. Located off NS 239, on the south side of the western arm of Sydney
Harbour, about 750 m (1/2 mi) south southwest of the front light. Site and
tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. CCG 783; Admiralty H0761.1; NGA 9108.

1973 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 9 m (29 ft);
continuous green light. Triangular skeleton mast on the northeast
corner of a 5 m (16 ft) square concrete building, mounted on a concrete
pier surrounded by sheet-steel pilings. Bash has a photo, Anderson has distant views, and Google
has a satellite
view. Earlier lights at this exposed location were destroyed repeatedly
by storms; the Nova Scotia Archives has a historic photo of the third (1912) lighthouse. Located on the end of the southeast bar in Sydney Harbour.
Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian
Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-493; CCG 778; Admiralty H0760; NGA 9112.

1938 (station established 1832). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft);
white flash every 5 s. 22 m (72 ft) octagonal concrete tower, painted
white. Rare Chance Brothers circular lantern, painted red; rotating
aerobeacon. The 3rd order Fresnel lens, replaced in 1984, is reported
to be in storage at the Coast Guard base in Dartmouth. 1-story wood
keeper's house, painted white with a red roof. Fog horn (two 3 s
blasts, separated by 3 s, every 60 s). Jarvis's photo is at right,
Bash has a good photo, Dave Carter has a closeup photo, Illsley has a lovely photo, Anderson has a photo, a 2009 photo is
available, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Google has a satellite
view. One of the earliest and most important light stations
of Nova Scotia, this lighthouse is endangered by erosion of the cape it marks. Vandalized after the lighthouse was automated
in 1988, the keeper's house was restored in 2002-03 by the Sydney
Harbour Fortification Society. The building was scheduled to be
opened in summer 2003, but vandals struck again in May of that
year. In 2014 the Low Point Lighthouse Society was formed to work for heritage designation and restoration of the lighthouse. In 2015 the society won the top prize of $75,000 in the National Trust Lighthouse Matters fund drive. These funds will be used for an engineering study of the erosion problem and how the shoreline might be stabilized. The Society plans to restore the lighthouse and develop it as a major tourist attraction. Located off NS 28 in New Waterford, marking the eastern
entrance to Sydney Harbour. Visible from the Marine Atlantic
ferries to Newfoundland. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager:
Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-287; CCG 775. Admiralty H0758;
NGA 9100.

1990 (station established 1956). Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 3 s. 5.5 m (18 ft) round cylindrical tower painted white with a red band at the top. Bash has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original light was a 7.5 m (25 ft) square tower mounted on a 1-story square equipment building. No photos of this light have been found. Located at the end of a breakwater protecting the entrance to Glace Cove, the inner harbor of Glace Bay. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-202; CCG 774. Admiralty H0756;
NGA 9144.

1907. Inactive since about 1980. Approx. 5 m (16 ft) square pyramidal
wood tower with lantern. Anderson has photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Previously thought to have been demolished,
this little lighthouse was discovered in 2003 by Dave Buckley in
the back yard of a private residence in Glace Bay. It is in poor condition. Lighthouse Digestfeatured
the range lights in December 2003. Located near the end of Bathgate Street in Glace Bay. Site and tower closed. Owner/site
manager: private. ARLHS CAN-957.

Around 1980 (station established 1907). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); continuous red light. 9.5 m (31 ft) triangular cylindrical skeletal tower carrying a trapezoidal daymark painted white with a red vertical stripe. Google has a street view, and the light can be seen to the left of center in a view of the harbor, but it is not so easy to find in Google's satellite view. Lighthouse Explorer has a good photo of the original lighthouse. Located on the east side of Glace Cove. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS
CAN-897; CCG 773; Admiralty H0752.1; NGA 9152.

1962 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 21 m (70 ft);
two white flashes, separated by 4 s, every 25 s. 18 m (59 ft) octagonal
concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; the lantern
is red. Fog horn (3 s blast every 30 s). A view from the sea is available, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a satellite view. A historic
photo of the station is available. The first lighthouse burned
in August 1864. The second served until 1950, but the third was so
poorly constructed it had to be rebuilt in 1962. The lighthouse was
automated in 1985 and the keeper's house burned to the ground the
following year. Located about 8 km (5 mi) off Cape Percé, the northeastern tip of Cape Breton Island. Accessible
only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast
Guard. ARLHS CAN-180; CCG 770; Admiralty H0750; NGA 9156.

1923 (station established 1734, although inactive 1758-1842). Active; focal
plane 32 m (105 ft); white flash every 10 s. 17 m (55 ft) octagonal concrete
tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Historic
lenses from the lighthouse are displayed at the Louisbourg Marine Museum in Louisbourg. Fog horn (blast every 20 s). Roy Tanaka's photo appears at
the top of this page,
Illsley also has a fine photo, Jarvis has a photo, Anderson has a photo, a 2009 photo is available,
Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This is Canada's oldest light station, established by France during
the period when Cape Breton Island (then called Île Royale) was a French
colony. The original lighthouse was a round stone tower 16.5 m (54 ft) tall.
Unfortunately it had a wooden lantern, which caught fire in September 1736
destroying the structure. A new stone tower, 17 m (56
ft) tall, replaced it in 1738. It was heavily damaged during the second
British siege of Louisbourg during the Seven Years ("French and Indian")
War in 1758, and it was never repaired. The third
lighthouse, built under
British rule in 1842, burned in 1922. Foundations
of both the 1738 and 1842 lighthouses have been stabilized and preserved.
The Louisbourg
Lighthouse Society works for preservation of the
lighthouse and has applied to own it. Located at the end of Havenside Road on the north side of
the entrance to Louisbourg harbor. Parking provided. Site open, tower
closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Louisbourg
Lighthouse Society. ARLHS CAN-286; CCG 756;
Admiralty H3344; NGA 9204.

1891. Active; focal plane 16.5 m (54 ft); continuous red light.
9.5 m (31 ft) hexagonal pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery,
painted white; lantern and gallery are red. Jarvis's photo is at right, Bash has a great 2008 photo,
Illsley has a photo, Mark Plummer has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Google has a satellite
view. The lighthouse was endangered by erosion and needed to be moved back from the cliff face. In 2014 the Gabarus Lightkeepers Society formed to apply for ownership of the lighthouse, and students from Cape Breton University helped develop the required business plan. In 2015 the society was awarded $50,000 in the National Trust Lighthouse Matters competition, plus another $6,000 throgh crowdfunding. The lighthouse was moved back from the cliff on 26-27 November 2015. Located at the end of Harbour Point Road, off NS 327, in
Gabarus. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard
(?). ARLHS CAN-189; CCG 753; Admiralty H3358; NGA 9224.

1909. Inactive since about 1970. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower
with lantern, painted white with red trim; lantern roof is red. Bing has a satellite view. Lower l'Ardoise is a
harbor at the eastern entrance to St. Peter's Bay. The lighthouse was purchased by the Morrow family and relocated to Point Michaud, about 8 km (5 mi) east of the original location. Located just off Point Michaud Road (NS 247) at the junction of Point Michaud Beach Road. Site and tower closed (private property).
Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-1227.

1909. Inactive since about 1970. 7 m (23 ft) square pyramidal wood tower
with lantern. Bing has a satellite view. Critically endangered. According to Bob Crawford's 2005 report, the lighthouse is "now
located in a farmer's field where it is has been used as a wood shed."
It is in very poor condition. Lighthouse Digest has Crawford's photo but misidentifies the tower as as the front range light. Located in a field at the end of Brymer Road, off NS 247 in Lower l'Ardoise. Site and tower closed.
Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS CAN-1228.

1956 (station established 1883). Active; focal plane 15.5 m (51
ft); continuous red light. 10.5 m (35 ft) square pyramidal wood tower
with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. The modern
keeper's house (1956) was used after automation as the residence
of the St. Peter's Canal lockmaster. Jarvis's photo is
at right, Illsley has a closeup photo, Bash has a good 2008 photo,
Anderson has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, Google has a closeup street view, and Bing has a satellite
view. This lighthouse is
in a popular provincial park, with a campground and picnic area
nearby. Located at the east side of the entrance to St. Peter's
Canal from St. Peter's Bay in St. Peter's. Accessible by paved road;
parking provided. Site and park open mid June to mid September,
tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Battery
Provincial Park. ARLHS CAN-255; CCG 734; Admiralty H3380;
NGA 9264.

1950 (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 12.5 m (41 ft); white
flash every 4 s. 8 m (27 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and
gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Anderson has a photo,
Bill Clyne has a distant view,
Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a distant satellite
view. This is one of two
Cape George Lights in Nova Scotia, the other being on the west side of
St. George's Bay (see Northwestern
Nova Scotia). Located on the west side of the northern entrance to
St. Peter's Inlet, the southern arm of the lake leading to St. Peter's
Canal. Accessible by a short walk from the parking lot of the Bras d'Or
Lake Lighthouse Campground, off NS 4 in St. Peter's. Site open, tower
closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-099; CCG 840;
Admiralty H0838; NGA 9060.

1950 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash
every 4 s. 10.5 m (34 ft) cylindrical tower, painted white with two horizontal
red bands. Anderson has a photo, and Bing has a satellite
view. The keeper's house was sold and relocated in 1975; its present location
is not known. The lighthouse was relocated a few meters southwest in 1988.
Located on an island in St. Peter's Inlet. Accessible only by boat. Site open,
tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-215; CCG 841;
Admiralty H0839; NGA 9064.

2004 (station established 1903). Active (privately maintained);
focal plane 7.5 m (25 ft); continuous red light. 8 m (26 ft) square
pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern
is red. Bash has a 2008 photo,
Illsley has a good photo, Jarvis has a view from the bay, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a satellite view. This lighthouse is a replica of the original 1903 tower,
which was burned in 1989 after being replaced by an aluminum skeletal
tower. Residents protested this destruction. In 2003 the light
station was transferred to a local group, which immediately built
the replica. Located at Church Point in River Bourgeois northeast
of Grandique Ferry. Accessible at low tide, but access may be cut
off at high tide. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: River
Bourgeois Community Services Society. ARLHS CAN-056; CCG 732;
Admiralty H3386; NGA 9396.

Date unknown (station established 1874). Activ; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); red flash every 4 s. 8.5 m (28 ft) triangular skeletal tower carrying a daymark colored with red and white horizontal bands. A view from the sea (near the bottom of the page) is available, and Google has a satellite view. A historic photo of the original lighthouse is available; its foundation ruins are seen next to the modern light. Located on an island in the Lennox Passage, between the mainland and Isle Madame. Accessible only by boat. Site open,
tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-1309; CCG 731;
Admiralty H3384; NGA 9265.

Isle Madame Lighthouses

Note: Isle Madame, an island about 16 km by 11 km (10 by 7 mi), is separated from the south coast of Cape Breton Island by a narrow strait, the Lennox Passage. The island has a population of about 4300 and is accessible by bridge on NS 320.

1907 (station established 1884). Active; focal plane 9 m (29 ft); continuous
green light. 8.5 m (28 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and
gallery, painted white; lantern is red. Anderson has a photo, Illsley has a photo, Jarvis has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a satellite view. The lighthouse, which replaced a light on a pole, marks a dangerous
north-pointing spit. In 1963 it had to be moved about 15 m (49 ft) southward
to escape minor beach erosion. Located on the north side of Isle Madame
facing the Lennox Passage, a strait connecting St. Peter's Bay to the Strait
of Canso. Accessible by a gravel road within the provincial park. Site open,
tower closed. Owner: Canadian Coast Guard. Site manager: Lennox Passage Provincial Park. ARLHS CAN-208;
CCG 729; Admiralty H3392; NGA 9267.

1927 (station established 1865). Inactive since 1968. This was a 2-story square wood
keeper's house, formerly with a lantern centered on the roof. It is not known when this building was demolished, but Bing's satellite view shows only the foundation. A historic photo is available. The light was
replaced by a skeletal tower in 1968 and then by the current lighthouse in
1986. In 1971, the lantern was replaced by the emitter of an electronic foghorn.
Keepers continued to live in the building until 1986. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard.

1986 (station established 1865). Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two
long (2 s) flashes, separated by 2 s, every 20 s. 11.5 m (38 ft) fiberglass
tower with lantern, painted white; lantern is red. 1-1/2 story keepers house
and fog signal building intact. Lighthouse marks the northeastern entrance
to Chedabucto Bay and the Strait of Canso. Anderson has views from the water, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a distant satellite view. This is one of two Green Island Lights in Nova Scotia, the other
one being at Yarmouth (see Southern Nova Scotia).
Located at the summit of a small island to the southeast of Isle Madame. Accessible
only by boat; visible from Cap Rouge on Petit-de-Grat Island, which is accessible
by road from Isle Madame. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian
Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-211; CCG 722; Admiralty H3376; NGA 9312.

1949 (station established 1851). Active; focal plane 10 m (34 ft); continuous
white light. 7.5 m (25 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery,
painted white; lantern is red. Jarvis's photo is at the bottom of this page, Martin Cathrae has a photo,
Illsley has a good photo, Anderson has photos, a view from the sea is available, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, and Bing has a satellite view. This station was known as Arichat Light until 1970, when the
keepers' houses were sold and removed. (It is not known if they survive.)
The original lighthouse, a short tower, was replaced by a 2-story structure
in 1869. Located at the southern entrance to Arichat Harbour on the south
coast of Isle Madame; accessible by a short walk on a dirt road. Site open,
tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-303; CCG
708; Admiralty H3404; NGA 9356.

1950 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft);
continuous red light. 7.5 m (25 ft) square pyramidal wood tower
with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern is red. The keeper's
house was sold and removed in 1980. Jarvis has a photo, Anderson has photos, Marinas.com has aerial
photos, Google has a very distant street view from the mainland, and Bing has a distant satellite view. Located at the north end of the island, south of Isle
Madame, marking the western entrance to Arichat Harbour. Accessible
only by boat, although there is a view from the mainland. Site
open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-256;
CCG 707; Admiralty H3406; NGA 9364.

1963. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); continuous red light. 6
m (20 ft) square pyramidal wood tower with lantern and gallery,
painted white with a red vertical stripe on the range line; lantern
is red. Jarvis's photo is at right,
Anderson has photos, Illsley has a photo, Bash has a photo, Lorne Hull also has a photo,
a 2009 photo is
available,
Google has a street view, and Bing has a satellite
view. The front light is on a 6 m (20
ft) skeletal tower. The range guides vessels entering the Canso Canal; completed in 1955, the canal provides a tidal lock allowing safe navigation of the narrow Strait of Canso separating Cape Breton Island from the mainland. Located at the northern entrance to the canal, off the Trans-Canada Highway just west of the Canso Causeway.
Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from outside
the fence. Owner/site manager: Canadian Coast Guard. ARLHS CAN-017; CCG
702; Admiralty H3436.1; NGA 8708.

Clarke
Cove Range Rear (1903-1977), Great Bras d'Or Lake. The range was discontinued and the lighthouse removed. The front light was moved to Cameron Island, where it survives (see above). ARLHS CAN-1193.

Crichton
Head (1874-?), Isle Madame, Richmond. The lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower; later that light was replaced by a series of buoys. ARLHS CAN-1267.

Glasgow
Point (1884-?), Isle Madame, Richmond. There is no longer a light at this location. ARLHS CAN-1215.

Grand
Étang (1901-?), northwest coast, Inverness. The lighthouse has been demolished. There are small beacons on the harbor breakwaters, barely visible in Marinas.com aerial photos. ARLHS CAN-1216.

Iona
(1901-?), west side of Grand Narrows, Great Bras d'Or Lake. There is no longer a light at this location. ARLHS CAN-1222.

Lingan
Head (1874-?), Sydney area. There is no longer a light at this location; a pair of small range beacons guide vessels into Lingan Harbour. ARLHS CAN-1226.